Bootleg Ephedra-Special Series

When the FDA learned that 155 people had died from Ephedra-related causes, it imposed a ban on the substance in April.

However, that ban hasn't stopped some from getting their hands on it.

People locally and nationwide began stocking up on fat burners with Ephedra when the April 12 ban was imposed. But what happens when the supplies run out? Are the new diet pills as good? And is it possible to get around that FDA ban? Some of the answers might surprise you.

A place like Flex Fitness is where people serious about weight lifting and body maintenance workout. It is also a place that sold Ephedra products when they were legal and felt some disappointment when they were banned.

The supplement was incredibly popular and the pills and sports drinks were hard to keep in stock.

Since the ban, chemists and nutritionists have been developing other drugs to boost energy and metabolism levels. A popular one is Synephrine, but it too comes with the same health concerns as Ephedra, increasing blood pressure and rising the heart rate.

Since on the market, it hasn't hit the same popularity level as its outlawed cousin.

People seeking the real deal have turned to the Internet, often buying Ephedra from international sellers.

When you add ordinary aspirin that acts as a blood thinner to the stimulant caffeine, it's possible to transform medicinal Ephedra into essentially the same compound found in the old diet pills.

According to the FDA, its ban explicitly states that it is only on "dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids." Pure Ephedra for medicinal purposes is still perfectly legal.

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